Drone Injury Lawsuits

Drone Injury Lawsuits

Drones are remotely piloted
aircrafts. Operators need to be licensed to fly large or commercial drones —
the kinds used by military and aerial photographers — but anyone can fly a
small drone. Unfortunately, not all drone hobbyists are careful flyers.

A few years ago, a drone hit
the face of a Brooklyn reporter and cut off the tip of her nose. In another
incident, a drone that was recording video for a festival in Virginia crashed
into a crowd, injuring several spectators.

In 2015, a tech blogger was
giving a demonstration on drone safety at the FOX & Friends studio when he lost
control of the drone and narrowly missed crashing it into the head of a camera
operator.

Just last year, a student was
hit in the head by a drone while attending a frat party. The head injury resulted
in profuse bleeding, impaired vision in one eye, dizziness, and disorientation.

A couple of months ago, a
flyer decided to use a drone camera to take dramatic video of a family reunion.
As the drone swept close to the crowd, he lost control and smacked a family
member in the face.

Just last month, a drone flew
into the back window of a car in Wisconsin. The drone struck and injured a
child who was strapped into a car seat. As drone sales continue to climb, accidents
like these will become a common occurrence.

More than one million drones have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). That number does not include the many unregistered drones used by armatures. Industry analysts expect 7 million hobbyist drones to be in operation by 2020.

Drone Regulations

When drones are flown for
commercial purposes, including aerial photography, the drone operator must be
certified by the FAA. In addition, the pilot of any drone that weighs more than
55 pounds must obtain an FAA license.

Drones flown for recreational
purposes must be registered if they are flown outdoors and weigh more than 250
grams (8.8 ounces). A registered drone must display its registration number,
making it possible to identify the owner if the drone crashes into a person.

Drone operators must always
keep their drones in sight. An off-duty, intoxicated government employee lost
sight of his drone before it crashed into the White House lawn in 2015. Losing
sight of a drone increases the risk that it will fly beyond the range of radio
control and will crash when its battery is depleted.

Drones should only be flown
during daylight hours. The FAA recommends that drones not be flown higher than
400 feet above the operator. Failing to follow that recommendation might not be
unlawful, but it would be evidence of negligent drone operation.

Drones may not be operated
within 5 miles of an airport and may not fly near manned aircraft. Several
incidents of drones causing damage to aircrafts have been reported. No drone
collision with an airplane has resulted in a crash, although a helicopter did crash
when its pilot made an evasive maneuver to avoid a drone.

Eighteen states have adopted
legislation that pertains to drone operation, some of those laws prohibit drone
operators from using cameras to peer into the windows of private residences.
Other states have made it a crime to operate drones in a reckless manner.

Many communities have enacted their own drone laws. They might, for example, prohibit flying drones over a stadium or in designated parks. Violating laws that protect the public’s safety is strong evidence of negligence.

Compensation for Drone Injuries

Responsible drone hobbyists
take time to learn the guidelines for safe drone operation. Following those
guidelines can prevent most drone accidents.

Careless drone operators, on the other hand, pose a danger to anyone who happens to be in the vicinity of the drone. It is difficult for people to protect themselves from drone injuries because accident victims are often unaware that a drone is in the sky until it crashes.

Drone operators can be held
responsible for injuries caused by the negligent operation of a drone. Examples
of negligence include:

– Flying the drone beyond its battery capacity, causing the drone to crash when it loses power.

– Flying the drone beyond the operator’s line of sight.

– Operating a drone while intoxicated.

– Allowing an unsupervised child to operate a drone.

– Flying the drone over crowds of people.

– Flying the drone in a crowded room.

– Flying the drone near an aircraft.

– Operating a drone that is not equipped with propeller guards.

Head and face injuries, including eye injuries, are the most common injuries caused by negligent drone operation. A personal injury lawyer can help injury victims recover compensation for injuries caused by the careless operation of a drone.